Optimum Frequencies for Aircraft Classification

The selection of the optimum features for aircraft classification from radar returns was studied. A constraint was imposed that a minimum number of simultaneous frequencies be used. The results indicate that a high reliability of classification is achievable with only two frequencies, and even a single frequency can provide over 95 percent reliability if both phase and amplitude at two orthogonal polarizations are used. The data set tested involved eight military aircraft whose sizes varied over a three-to-one range.